Las Vegas judge allows newspaper to review slain reporter’s phones, computers
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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A judge is allowing a “search team” of newspaper staff and attorneys to go through the phone and computers belonging to murdered Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German.
Attorneys for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, police, prosecutors, and the man accused of stabbing German, 69, to death in Sept. 2022 all signed a stipulation enabling that team to search the six electronic devices belonging to German. Police recovered those devices in the immediate aftermath of the celebrated investigative reporter’s stabbing.
On March 8, Robert Telles, the disgraced former public administrator for Clark County, will stand trial for German’s murder.
Telles’ attorney, Robert Draskovich, confirmed Tuesday that he and his client intend to keep that trial date.
The trial has been delayed repeatedly because, among other reasons, Telles tried to have presiding judge Michelle Leavitt removed. Telles has also argued, repeatedly, that the investigation into his involvement in the case was improper, and that he was framed for German’s murder.
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Ultimately DNA found under German’s fingernails matched a sample taken from Telles, leading to his arrest in September. He has been in custody at Clark County Detention Center since.
The extensive litigation surrounding German’s phones and computers also dragged on for months.
At issue was whether the devices actually belonged to German, and thus could be searched for evidence. The R-J’s lawyers argued that Nevada’s shield law trumped the police’s right to search the phone. At one point, lawyers for the Las Vegas Review-Journal sought sanctions against Metro, arguing that police illegally searched the devices and then lied about it.
“It is bad enough that Metro violated this federal statute, unilaterally and secretly breaching this important privilege. But Metro then hid the truth by leading Plaintiffs — and the Nevada courts — to believe, both by its words and by its silence, that it has never searched Mr. German’s phone,” the motion stated.
German had published several stories about Telles’ public office, saying it was in “turmoil” in the months leading up to his stabbing.
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